“I thank my God, making
mention of thee always in my prayers, Hearing of thy love and faith,
which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints. That the
communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging
[in the knowledge] of every good thing which is in us,15471547 E.V. “in you.” [The R.V. reads “in
you,” ἐν ὑμῖν, and
puts “us,” ἡμῖν, in the
margin.—P.S.]in Christ
Jesus.”

He does
not immediately at the commencement ask the favor, but having first
admired the man, and having praised him for his good actions, and
having shown no small proof of his love, that he always made mention of
him in his prayers, and having said that many are refreshed by him, and
that he is obedient and complying in all things; then he puts it last
of all, by this particularly putting him to the blush.15481548 δυσωπῶν. For if others obtain the things which
they ask, much more Paul. If coming before others, he was worthy to
obtain, much more when he comes after others, and asks a thing not
pertaining to himself, but in behalf of another. Then, that he may not
seem to have written on this account only, and that no one may say,
“If it were not for Onesimus thou wouldest not have
written,” see how he assigns other causes also of his Epistle. In
the first place manifesting his love, then also desiring that a lodging
may be prepared for him.

“Hearing,” he says,
“of thy love.”

This is wonderful, and much
greater than if being present he had seen it when he15491549 Philemon, as it is παρόντος. was present. For it is plain that from its
being excessive it had become manifest, and had reached even to Paul.
And yet the distance between Rome and Phrygia was not small. For he
seems to have been there from the mention of Archippus. For the
Colossians were of Phrygia, writing to whom he said, “When this
Epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the Church of
the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the Epistle from
Laodicea.” (Col. iv. 16.) And this is a city of
Phrygia.

I pray, he says, “that the
communication of thy faith may become effectual in the knowledge of
every good thing which is in Christ Jesus.” Dost thou see him
first giving, before he receives, and before he asks a favor himself
bestowing a much greater one of his own? “That the communication
of thy faith,” he says, “may become effectual by the
acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ
Jesus”; that is, that thou mayest attain all virtue, that nothing
may be deficient. For so faith becomes effectual, when it is
accompanied with works. For “without works faith is dead.”
(Jas.
ii. 26.) And he has not said, “Thy faith,” but “the
communication of thy faith,” connecting it with himself, and
showing that it is one body, and by this particularly making him
ashamed to refuse. If thou art a partaker, he says, with respect to the
faith, thou oughtest to communicate also with respect to other
things.

Ver.
7.
“For we have [I had] great joy and consolation in thy love,
because the bowels [hearts] of the Saints are refreshed by thee,
brother.”

Nothing so shames us into
giving, as to bring forward the kindnesses bestowed on others, and
particularly when a man is more entitled to respect than they. And he
has not said, “If you do it to others, much more to me”;
but he has insinuated the same thing, though he has contrived to do it
in another and a more gracious manner.

“I had joy,” that
is, thou hast given me confidence from the things which thou hast done
to others. “And consolation,” that is, we are not only
gratified, but we are also comforted. For they are members of us. If
then there ought to be such an agreement, that in the refreshing of any
others who are in affliction, though we obtain nothing, we should be
delighted on their account, as if it were one body that was benefited;
much more if you shall refresh us also. And he has not said,
“Because thou yieldest, and compliest,” but even more
vehemently and emphatically, “because the bowels of the
Saints,” as if it were for a darling child fondly loved by its
parents, so that this love and affection shows that he also is
exceedingly beloved by them.

Ver.
8.
“Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee
that which is convenient [befitting].”

Observe how cautious he is, lest
any of the things which were spoken even from exceeding love should so
strike the hearer, as that he should be hurt. For this reason before he
says, “to enjoin thee,” since it was offensive, although,
as spoken out of love, it was more proper to soothe him, yet
nevertheless from an excess of delicacy, he as it were corrects it by
saying, “Having confidence,” by which he implies that
Philemon was a great man,15501550 i.e. a
man of high Christian character, who would admit such claims as
his. that is “Thou
hast given 551confidence to us.” And not only that, but adding the
expression “in Christ,” by which he shows that it was not
that he was more illustrious in the world, not that he was more
powerful, but it was on account of his faith in Christ,—then he
also adds, “to enjoin thee,” and not that only, but
“that which is convenient,” that is, a reasonable action.
And see out of how many things he brings proof for this. Thou doest
good to others, he says, and to me, and for Christ’s sake, and
that the thing is reasonable, and that love giveth, wherefore also he
adds,

As if he had said, I know indeed
that I can effect it by commanding with much authority, from things
which have already taken place. But because I am very solicitous about
this matter, “I beseech thee.” He shows both these things
at once; that he has confidence in him, for he commands him;15511551 He
means that his words would be felt as a command, and were really not
less, but more. and that he is exceedingly concerned about
the matter, wherefore he beseeches him.

“Being such an one,”
he says, “as Paul the aged.” Strange! how many things are
here to shame him into compliance! Paul, from the quality of his
person, from his age, because he was old, and from what was more just
than all, because he was also “a prisoner of Jesus
Christ.”

For who would not receive with
open arms a combatant who had been crowned? Who seeing him bound for
Christ’s sake, would not have granted him ten thousand favors? By
so many considerations having previously soothed his mind, he has not
immediately introduced the name, but defers making so great a request.
For you know what are the minds of masters towards slaves that have run
away; and particularly when they have done this with robbery, even if
they have good masters, how their anger is increased. This anger then
having taken all these pains to soothe, and having first persuaded him
readily to serve him in anything whatever, and having prepared his soul
to all obedience, then he introduces his request, and says, “I
beseech thee,” and with the addition of praises, “for my
son whom I have begotten in my bonds.”

Again the chains are mentioned
to shame him into compliance, and then the name. For he has not only
extinguished his anger, but has caused him to be delighted. For I would
not have called him my son, he says, if he were not especially
profitable. What I called Timothy, that I call him also. And repeatedly
showing his affection, he urges him by the very period of his new
birth, “I have begotten him in my bonds,” he says, so that
on this account also he was worthy to obtain much honor, because he was
begotten in his very conflicts, in his trials in the cause of
Christ.

See how great is his prudence,
how he confesses the man’s faults, and thereby extinguishes his
anger. I know, he says, that he was unprofitable.

“But now” he will be
“profitable to thee and to me.”

He has not said he will be
useful to thee, lest he should contradict it, but he has introduced his
own person, that his hopes may seem worthy of credit, “But
now,” he says, “profitable to thee and to me.” For if
he was profitable to Paul, who required so great strictness, much more
would he be so to his master.

And again he has not given the
bare name, but uses with it a word that might move him, which is more
affectionate than son. He has said, “son,” he has said,
“I have begotten” him,15521552 Old
Lat. adds, “in my bonds,” which the sense
requires. so that it
was probable15531553 B.
and Ven. “so as to show that he loved him
especially.” he would love him much, because he
begot him in his trials. For it is manifest that we are most inflamed
with affection for those children, who have been born to us in dangers
which we have escaped, as when the Scripture saith, “Woe,
Barochabel!”15541554 The
last Paris edition has a note from Raphelius and Hemsterhusius which
curiously illustrates the variation of names. This οὐαιβαροχαβὴλ
is in Sept. 1 Sam. iv. 21, οὐαιβαρχαβὼθ, Vat. Οὐαιχαβὼθ
Alex., Or. Hex. οὐαὶ
ἰοχαβὴδ,
E.V. “Ichabod.” and again when
Rachel names Benjamin, “the son of my sorrow.”
(Gen.
xxxv. 18.)

“Thou therefore,” he
says, “receive him, that is mine own bowels.” He shows the
greatness of his affection. He has not said, Take him back,15551555 ἀπόδεξαι. he has not said, Be not angry,15561556 προσλαβοῦ. but “receive him”; that is, he
is worthy not only of pardon, but of honor. Why? Because he is become
the son of Paul.

Ver.
13.
“Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might
have ministered unto me in the bonds of the Gospel.”

Dost thou see after how much
previous preparation, he has at length brought him honorably before his
master, and observe with how much wisdom he has done this. See for how
much he makes him answerable, and how much he honors the other. Thou
hast found, he says, a way by which thou mayest through him
552repay thy service
to me. Here he shows that he has considered his advantage more than
that of his slave, and that he respects him exceedingly.

Ver.
14.
“But without thy mind,” he says, “would I do nothing;
that thy benefit should not be, as it were, of necessity, but
willingly.”

This particularly flatters the
person asked, when the thing being profitable in itself, it is brought
out with his concurrence. For two good effects are produced thence, the
one person gains, and the other is rendered more secure. And he has not
said, That it should not be of necessity, but “as it were of
necessity.” For I knew, he says, that not having learnt15571557 i.e. by previous explanation, μαθὼν. it, but coming to know it at once, thou
wouldest not have been angry, but nevertheless out of an excess of
consideration, that it should “not be as it were of
necessity.”

Ver. 15,
16.
“For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season that
thou shouldest have him for ever; no longer as a
bond-servant.”

He has well said,
“perhaps,” that the master may yield. For since the flight
arose from perverseness, and a corrupt mind, and not from such
intention, he has said, “perhaps.” And he has not said,
therefore he fled, but, therefore he was “separated,”15581558 Gr. ἐχωρίσθη. [R.V. “he was parted from
thee.”—P.S.] by a more fair sounding expression
softening him the more. And he has not said, He separated himself, but,
“he was separated.” For it was not his own arrangement that
he should depart either for this purpose or for that. Which also Joseph
says, in making excuse for his brethren, “For God did send me
hither” (Gen. xlv. 5.), that is, He made use
of their wickedness for a good end. “Therefore,” he says,
“he was parted for a season.”15591559 ὥραν, lit. “an hour.”
Thus he contracts the time, acknowledges the offense, and turns it all
to a providence.15601560 οἰκονομίαν. “That thou
shouldest receive him,” he says, “for ever,” not for
the present season only, but even for the future, that thou mightest
always have him, no longer a slave, but more honorable than a slave.
For thou wilt have a slave abiding with thee, more well-disposed than a
brother, so that thou hast gained both in time, and in the quality of
thy slave. For hereafter he will not run away. “That thou
shouldest receive him,” he says, “for ever,” that is,
have him again.

“No longer as a
bond-servant, but more than a bond-servant, a brother beloved,
especially to me.”

Thou hast lost a slave for a
short time, but thou wilt find a brother for ever, not only thy
brother, but mine also. Here also there is much virtue. But if he is my
brother, thou also wilt not be ashamed of him. By calling him his son,
he hath shown his natural affection; and by calling him his brother,
his great good will for him, and his equality in honor.

Moral. These things are not written without an object, but that we
masters may not despair of our servants, nor press too hard on them,
but may learn to pardon the offenses of such servants, that we may not
be always severe, that we may not from their servitude be ashamed to
make them partakers with us in all things when they are good. For if
Paul was not ashamed to call one “his son, his own bowels, his
brother, his beloved,” surely we ought not to be ashamed. And why
do I say Paul? The Master of Paul is not ashamed to call our servants
His own brethren; and are we ashamed? See how He honors us; He calls
our servants His own brethren, friends, and fellow-heirs. See to what
He has descended! What therefore having done, shall we have
accomplished our whole duty? We shall never in any wise do it; but to
whatever degree of humility we have come, the greater part of it is
still left behind. For consider, whatever thou doest, thou doest to a
fellow-servant, but thy Master hath done it to thy servants. Hear and
shudder! Never be elated at thy humility!

Perhaps you laugh at the
expression, as if humility could puff up. But be not surprised at it,
it puffs up, when it is not genuine. How, and in what manner? When it
is practiced to gain the favor of men, and not of God, that we may be
praised, and be high-minded. For this also is diabolical. For as many
are vainglorious on account of their not being vainglorious,15611561 “Proud of his periods leveled against
pride.”—Anon. so are they elated on account of their
humbling themselves, by reason of their being high-minded. For
instance, a brother has come, or even a servant thou hast received him,
thou hast washed his feet; immediately thou thinkest highly of thyself.
I have done, thou sayest, what no other has done. I have achieved
humility. How then may any one continue in humility? If he remembers
the command of Christ, which says, “When ye shall have done all
things, say, We are unprofitable servants.” (Luke xvii. 10.) And again the
Teacher of the world, saying, “I count not myself to have
apprehended.” (Philip. iii.
13.)
He who has persuaded himself that he has done no great thing, however
many things he may have done, he alone can be humble-minded, he who
thinks that he has not reached perfection.

Many are elated on account of
their humility; but let not us be so affected. Hast thou done any act
of humility? be not proud of it, otherwise all the merit of it is lost.
Such was the Pharisee, he was puffed up because he gave his tythes to
the poor, and he lost all the merit of 553it. (Luke xviii.
12.)
But not so the publican. Hear Paul again saying, “I know nothing
by myself, yet am I not hereby justified.” (1 Cor. iv. 4.) Seest thou that
he does not exalt himself, but by every means abases and humbles
himself, and that too when he had arrived at the very summit. And the
Three Children were in the fire, and in the midst of the furnace, and
what said they? “We have sinned and committed iniquity with our
fathers.” (Song, v. 6, in Sept.; Dan. iii. 29, 30; v.
16.)
This it is to have a contrite heart; on this account they could say,
“Nevertheless in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be
accepted.” Thus even after they had fallen into the furnace they
were exceedingly humbled, even more so than they were before. For when
they saw the miracle that was wrought, thinking themselves unworthy of
that deliverance, they were brought lower in humility. For when we are
persuaded that we have received great benefits beyond our desert, then
we are particularly grieved. And yet what benefit had they received
beyond their desert? They had given themselves up to the furnace; they
had been taken captive for the sins of others; for they were still
young; and they murmured not, nor were indignant, nor did they say,
What good is it to us that we serve God, or what advantage have we in
worshiping Him? This man is impious, and is become our lord. We are
punished with the idolatrous by an idolatrous king. We have been led
into captivity. We are deprived of our country, our freedom, all our
paternal goods, we are become prisoners and slaves, we are enslaved to
a barbarous king. None of these things did they say. But what?
“We have sinned and committed iniquity.” And not for
themselves but for others they offer prayers. Because, say they,
“Thou hast delivered us to a hateful and a wicked king.”
Again, Daniel, being a second time cast into the pit, said, “For
God hath remembered me.” Wherefore should He not remember15621562 B.
“didst thou not remember,” and presently, “did I not
remember.” The construction in either case is so elliptical as to
be difficult. thee, O Daniel, when thou didst glorify
Him before the king, saying, “Not for any wisdom that I
have”? (Dan. ii. 30.) But when thou wast
cast into the den of lions, because thou didst not obey that most
wicked decree, wherefore should He not remember thee? For this very
reason surely should He.15631563 Bel and Dragon, verse
38 [ὁδὲ κύριος ὁ
θεὸς ἐμνήσθη
τοῦ Δανιήλ.—P.S.] Wast thou not
cast into it on His account? “Yea truly,” he says,
“but I am a debtor for many things.” And if he said such
things after having displayed so great virtue, what should we say after
this? But hear what David says, “If He thus say, I have no
delight in thee, behold here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good
unto Him.” (2 Sam. xv. 26.) And yet he had an
infinite number of good things to speak of. And Eli also says,
“It is the Lord: let Him do what seemeth Him good.”
(1
Sam. iii. 18.)

This is the part of
well-disposed servants, not only in His mercies, but in His
corrections, and in punishments wholly to submit to Him. For how is it
not absurd,15641564 B.
and Ven. add, “for us to be well disposed while we are favored,
but discontented when we are chastised; tell me now.” if we bear with masters beating
their servants, knowing that they will spare them, because they are
their own;15651565 Such
seems the principle in Ex. xxi. 21. and yet suppose that God in punishing
will not spare? This also Paul has intimated, saying, “Whether we
live or die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom. xiv. 8.) A man, we say,
wishes not his property to be diminished, he knows how he punishes, he
is punishing his own servants. But surely no one of us spares more than
He Who brought us into being out of nothing, Who maketh the sun to
rise, Who causeth rain; Who breathed our life into us, Who gave His own
Son for us.

But as I said before, and on
which account I have said all that I have said, let us be humble-minded
as we ought, let us be moderate as we ought. Let it not be to us an
occasion of being puffed up. Art thou humble, and humbler than all men?
Be not high-minded on that account, neither reproach others, lest thou
lose thy boast. For this very cause thou art humble, that thou mayest
be delivered from the madness of pride; if therefore through thy
humility thou fallest into that madness, it were better for thee not to
be humble. For hear Paul saying, “Sin worketh death in me by that
which is good, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding
sinful.” (Rom. vii. 13.) When it enters into
thy thought to admire thyself because thou art humble, consider thy
Master, to what He descended, and thou wilt no longer admire thyself,
nor praise thyself, but wilt deride thyself as having done nothing.
Consider thyself altogether to be a debtor. Whatever thou hast done,
remember that parable, “Which of you having a servant…will
say unto him, when he is come in, Sit down to meat?…I say unto
you, Nay…but stay and serve me.” (From Luke xvii. 7,
8.)
Do we return thanks to our servants, for waiting upon us? By no means.
Yet God is thankful to us, who serve not Him, but do that which is
expedient for ourselves.

But let not us be so affected,
as if He owed us thanks, that He may owe us the more, but as if we were
discharging a debt. For the matter truly is a debt, and all that we do
is of debt. For if when we purchase slaves with our money, we wish them
to live altogether for us, and whatever they have to have it for
ourselves, how 554much more must it be so with Him, who brought us out of nothing
into being, who after this bought us with His precious Blood, who paid
down such a price for us as no one would endure to pay for his own son,
who shed His own Blood for us? If therefore we had ten thousand souls,
and should lay them all down for Him, should we make Him an equal
return? By no means. And why? Because He did this, owing us nothing,
but the whole was a matter of grace. But we henceforth are debtors: and
being God Himself, He became a servant, and not being subject to death,
subjected Himself to death in the flesh. We, if we do not lay down our
lives for Him, by the law of nature must certainly lay them down, and a
little later shall be separated from it,15661566 The
sense naturally leads to this transition to the singular, which is not
uncommon in St. Chrysostom.
however unwillingly. So also in the case of riches, if we do not bestow
them for His sake, we shall render them up from necessity at our end.
So it is also with humility. Although we are not humble for His sake,
we shall be made humble by tribulations, by calamities, by over-ruling
powers. Seest thou therefore how great is the grace! He hath not said,
“What great things do the Martyrs do? Although they die not for
Me, they certainly will die.” But He owns Himself much indebted
to them, because they voluntarily resign that which in the course of
nature they were about to resign shortly against their will. He hath
not said, “What great thing do they, who give away their riches?
Even against their will they will have to surrender them.” But He
owns Himself much indebted to them too, and is not ashamed to confess
before all that He, the Master, is nourished by His slaves.

For this also is the glory of a
Master, to have grateful slaves. And this is the glory of a Master,
that He should thus love His slaves. And this is the glory of a Master,
to claim for His own what is theirs. And this is the glory of a Master,
not to be ashamed to confess them before all. Let us therefore be
stricken with awe at this so great love of Christ. Let us be inflamed
with this love-potion. Though a man be low and mean, yet if we hear
that he loves us, we are above all things warmed with love towards him,
and honor him exceedingly. And do we then love? and when our Master
loveth us so much, we are not excited? Let us not, I beseech you, let
us not be so indifferent with regard to the salvation of our souls, but
let us love Him according to our power, and let us spend all upon His
love, our life, our riches, our glory, everything, with delight, with
joy, with alacrity, not as rendering anything to Him, but to ourselves.
For such is the law of those who love. They think that they are
receiving favors, when they are suffering wrong for the sake of their
beloved. Therefore let us be so affected towards our Lord, that we15671567 B.
and Ven. add, “May both obtain His help here,
and.” also may partake of the good things to
come in Christ Jesus our Lord.